Moving from pencil to pen for schoolwork?

[Rhonda in TX]

When does your child do this? Do you require it, or just let them choose if/when they want to do it? If your child has difficult with handwriting, does it help to move to pen?

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Around 4th grade I let them use the paper mate erasable pens for a while. The about mid year they use any old pen they want, but with this advancement comes responsibility... too many cross outs and the page gets redone. I do not, however, require the use of a pen at any grade/age.

[heart'sjoy]

IEW changed how I thought about pens.

 

The thought was that too much time is spent in erasing vs. getting your thoughts down in a rough draft. It has been quicker to single line cross out than erase for writing.

 

The only other time I've limited pens is when they lose the privelege for writing on the wrong surface = body, desk, doodling, drawing.

 

Occasionally there were personal letters, art projects, or worksheets with no room for a single line crossout. Then we would use a pencil out of necesity.

[DebbS]

Honestly, I never thought about whether my kids used pens or pencils. I'm a pencil user myself and only use a pen on official documents. For assignments that require hand writing, my kids can choose which device they prefer to use.

 

In terms of rough drafts, mostly my kids use the computer anyway. Organizing an essay on computer is a somewhat different skill than doing so on paper. Because most adults don't do a significant amount of writing on paper anymore, my kids might as well write now how they're going to write later.

[LindaWood]

We use pencil and computer. The kids have never really used pen for school. Pencil subjects: handwriting, math, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, etc. Computer is done for all reports and compositions. I have five children and two are graduated.

 

Linda

[Susan C.]

All pencil and computer here too, even ds in college.

 

My dc would have freaked out knowing they couldn't erase. :)

[Rhonda in TX]

I think the reason I'm wondering about this is that I really don't like writing in pencil. I have a degree in math and was always wishing I could use a pen. I even tried erasable pens back when they first came out. :)

 

I'll leave it up to them, even though I can't fathom wanting to stay with pencil.

[Susan C.]

We use mechanical pencils. My mom just visited and thought they were pens!

[Brigid in NC]

If your kids are thinking about AP classes in the high school years, practicing writing in pen -- with tidy "cross-throughs" -- is a good idea. AP exam essays must be completed in pen. For AP English, that's three essays @ 40 minutes each, in pen. ;)

[regentrude]

When does your child do this? Do you require it, or just let them choose if/when they want to do it? If your child has difficult with handwriting, does it help to move to pen?

 

My children switched to pen after spending a year in a German school where fountain pens are the required writing utensil as of first grade. They both found (as has been my experience growing up) that writing with pen leads to a much neater handwriting and is easier on the wrist. NOT ball point pens though, those are terrible for the hand and lead to cramping - real fountain pens with flowing ink. (You do nor have to buy expensive ones, student pens by Lamy or Pelican serve the purpose just fine)

 

They do math in pencil as to be able to better erase mistakes.

They use pen for their history and literature notes.

Essays are typed.

[Hope in God]

My children switched to pen after spending a year in a German school where fountain pens are the required writing utensil as of first grade. They both found (as has been my experience growing up) that writing with pen leads to a much neater handwriting and is easier on the wrist. NOT ball point pens though, those are terrible for the hand and lead to cramping - real fountain pens with flowing ink. (You do nor have to buy expensive ones, student pens by Lamy or Pelican serve the purpose just fine)

 

They do math in pencil as to be able to better erase mistakes.

They use pen for their history and literature notes.

Essays are typed.

 

Do all fountain pens smear? We have some and the ink smears if it gets wet?

[Hope in God]

Andrew Pudewa from IEW says that writing in pencil is very disturbing for children because pencils always give different feedback. When they are sharp they have a scratchy feedback and when they are dull they have a creamy feedback etc... He says that writing in pencil takes longer because kids are always erasing and they then forget their thought. Also kids need to stop frequently to sharpen their pencils to the desired sharpness.

 

I know that my younger son has a habit of dropping his pencil at regular intervals which causes the lead to break and thus need to be sharpened(but he also has the habit of falling off his chair at regular intervals and I still haven't figured out how to sharpen him).:glare:

[Riverland]

nm

[Mynyel]

We just did this ourselves! :hurray:

 

My dd13 and ds9 both liked the idea and neither one has complained once. They like the fact that there is less drag on the writing utensil as opposed to pencil.

 

It has been about 2 weeks (not long I know) but they haven't asked to go back.

 

Mr. Pedewa really helped in changing our minds as well in going to pens. We are really hooked on IEW products :)

 

The only thing I use pencil for now is Soduku :D No way I could use pen for that!

 

Still looking at fountain pens though... We bought the Varsity disposible fountain pens and although they write nice the ink bleeds through the paper. So I don't know if I want to spend the money on fountain pens if they are just going to bleed. My kids also like the G2 pens and roller ball pens so I am kinda thinking why fix it if it isn't broke.

[JudoMom]

These Frixion pens erase well.